Lost but Not Forgotten

PART 42

Rohit jolted awake, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The dream had been so vivid—Jassi and Harry, vulnerable, being harmed by an unknown figure. His heart raced as he tried to shake off the unsettling images that haunted him, but they refused to fade.

Without a second thought, Rohit threw off the blankets and rushed down the hallway. His feet moved faster as he neared the room where Jassi and Harry were sleeping. He swung the door open gently, his eyes immediately scanning the room, half-expecting to see something horrible. But to his immense relief, they were both there, sound asleep, Harry sprawled out on one side of the bed, and Jassi curled up peacefully.

A wave of calm washed over him, but only for a moment. He stood there for a few seconds, watching them breathe, just to make sure everything was fine. As his pulse steadied, Rohit let out a long breath and quietly closed the door behind him. However, as he turned to head back to his own room, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention—a shadow, fast and fleeting, darting past one of the windows at the end of the hallway.

Rohit's instincts kicked in. Without thinking, he sprinted to the window, his heart pounding in his chest once again. He yanked the curtains open, but whoever had been there was already gone. His eyes darted around, searching for any sign of the figure, but the only thing out of place was a small piece of paper lying on the ground, just outside the window.

He opened the window, reached down, and picked up the note. The paper was crumpled, and as he unfolded it, his stomach dropped. Scrawled across the sheet were chilling words:

"You can't protect them all forever. Keep your precious BRAT safe. He's next."

His blood ran cold as his mind raced, immediately making the connection—Shreyas. The words were a veiled threat aimed at him. Rohit's mind flashed to the shadowy figure that had disappeared, and fear surged through him. Who would dare do this? And why?

For a moment, he considered waking everyone up, telling them about the note, but then he stopped. What if this was just some sick prank? What if it was nothing? He didn't want to cause unnecessary panic, especially since things were still tense between him and the others. No, he couldn't worry them about something that might be a joke.

Folding the note tightly, he shoved it into his pocket and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He would keep an eye on things, be more vigilant, but for now, it was better not to raise any alarms.

As he made his way back to his room, Ritika stirred in her sleep. She mumbled drowsily, "Ro, what's wrong?"

Rohit paused for a second, glancing at her. Her eyes were half-closed, still lost in sleep. He gently stroked her hair and leaned down, kissing her forehead. "Nothing," he whispered softly, "just go back to sleep."

Ritika sighed contentedly and snuggled into her pillow as Rohit climbed back into bed, but sleep didn't come easily for him. His mind replayed the threat over and over, his protective instincts now on high alert. Though he tried to rest, his thoughts were consumed by one thing: whoever was behind this, they had crossed a dangerous line. He couldn't let anything happen to his family—not again.

*********

The next day unfolded as usual, but Rohit's senses remained on high alert. His mind kept replaying the cryptic note from the previous night, and he couldn't shake off the unease that had settled deep inside him. As he sat quietly in the living room, surrounded by his loved ones, his eyes kept darting around, scanning the area without making it obvious. It wasn't just about him anymore—someone was out there, and they were threatening the people he cared about.

After a while, he realized something—or rather, someone—was missing. Shreyas. He glanced around the room, trying to locate him. A small wave of panic surged in his chest as he recalled the note's veiled threat. His heart pounded, but he didn't want to alarm everyone, especially since he'd distanced himself from them recently. He spotted Akaay and Moksh playing nearby, practicing their shots.

He walked over to them, his voice calm but urgent. "Akaay, Moksh, have you seen Shreyas Chachu?"

Moksh stopped mid-swing and pointed towards the garden. "He's outside, on the phone," he said, glancing back to hit the ball again.

Rohit nodded, but his feet moved quickly, almost breaking into a run as he headed towards the garden. His breath caught in his throat until he saw Shreyas standing there, his back to Rohit, talking on the phone, seemingly unaware of any danger. Rohit sighed in relief. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was overthinking.

But just as he was about to turn away, a movement caught his eye. Something was wrong. A large branch above Shreyas had come loose, teetering dangerously on the verge of falling. Rohit's instincts kicked in. Without thinking, he bolted towards Shreyas.

"Shreyas, move!" Rohit shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

Shreyas, still on the phone, turned to see Rohit racing towards him, but before he could react, Rohit lunged and pushed him out of the way, just as the branch came crashing down, missing them by mere inches. The force knocked both of them to the ground, and Shreyas gasped in shock, his phone clattering to the ground beside him.

For a moment, Shreyas sat there stunned, his eyes wide as he tried to process what had just happened. His breathing was heavy, and his heart raced in his chest. Slowly, he turned to Rohit, who was still on the ground beside him. "Bhaiya... you... saved me," Shreyas stammered, his voice shaky. Without warning, he clung to Rohit, his arms wrapping tightly around him, as if afraid to let go.

Rohit gently patted his back, trying to soothe him, but his own mind was reeling. This wasn't just an accident—it couldn't be. The timing, the note, everything pointed to something far more sinister. He held Shreyas close, feeling the younger man's body trembling, and a fierce protectiveness surged through him. He wouldn't let anything happen to Shreyas—or any of his 'kiddos.'

The others came rushing out, having heard the commotion. Virat, Jassi, and Harry arrived first, with Ritika, Sakshi, and the rest not far behind. They saw the fallen branch and the shaken expressions on both Rohit and Shreyas' faces.

"What happened?" Virat asked, glancing between them.

Harry, wide-eyed, stared at the large branch. "That was too close... it could've hit him."

Jassi knelt down beside Shreyas, helping him up, while Ritika hurried to Rohit's side, checking him over for any injuries. But Rohit's focus was elsewhere. His eyes scanned the surroundings, his mind racing with the realization that this wasn't an accident. This was a carefully orchestrated plan.

But he stayed silent. He wasn't ready to share his suspicions yet, not when he didn't have enough proof. For now, he would keep this to himself. But the note, the shadow, and now this—Rohit knew someone was out there, and they weren't done yet.

As everyone crowded around, concerned about what had happened, only Rohit stood there, tense, knowing this was just the beginning.

******